


The Eagle and the Golden Retriever

by Evilicequeen19



Category: Smosh
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Out of Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-23 19:45:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19708174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evilicequeen19/pseuds/Evilicequeen19
Summary: Courtney is a Hogwarts loner, and she likes it that way- until she meets Olivia Sui. Colivia if you squint





	The Eagle and the Golden Retriever

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote most of this before the Smosh sorting video, so neither Courtney nor Olivia are Gryffindors here

“Um, excuse me?”

A quiet, timid voice broke Courtney Miller’s concentration. Annoyed, she snapped her head up to see what caused the interruption this time. Exams were coming up at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and if Courtney wanted to keep the top marks she’d been earning, she needed to keep her focus. She had just left her common after finding it too distracting and had been hoping the Hogwarts library would allow her some peace.

But no such luck.

Courtney raised her eyebrows at the girl who had interrupted her quiet. The girl looked down and began fidgeting with her black and yellow tie.

“Sorry, I was just…” the girl mumbled, and then looked up to meet Courtney in the eyes. “Can I sit here? There are no more empty tables and I don’t want to study in the common room.”

Courtney shrugged and returned to her textbook on runes. The girl sat down slowly and pulled out a large stack of notes. Courtney glanced at the top of one page curiously and saw they were meticulous History of Magic notes. She recognized their recent lecture on Goblins- this girl must also be a third year.

The two sat in silence for the rest of the afternoon, which Courtney was grateful for. She finished her runes and began copying the instructions to brew a Wiggenweld potion out of her textbook, as writing the instructions herself helped her remember the finer details. The girl across from her had moved on to studying for Charms. Courtney noticed she would occasionally trace a wand movement on the table with her pointer finger.

It was late afternoon and the sun was starting to set by the time Courtney finished her Potions notes. She set her quill down and began packing her things back into her bag. She was looking forward to a quick dinner and being able to sleep in some the next day. The girl across from her noticed her packing up and quickly began to do so as well.

Courtney left the library with the girl trailing behind her. As the entered the corridor the girl began chattering immediately.

“I recognize you- we’re in potions and charms together and you’re really good! I wish I could be as good at charms. I’m Olivia, by the way.” She said warmly, and held out her hand for Courtney to shake. Surprised, Courtney shook it.

“I’m Courtney.” She said.

“I know.” Olivia chirped with a big grin. “Hey would you want to study again tomorrow? At the same table?”

“Uh, sure.” Courtney said warily. She supposed it wouldn’t hurt anything to have a little company. She was used to studying alone, but Olivia wasn’t bothering anything.

“Cool! See you there!” Olivia said with a cheery grin, and then promptly turned back the way they had come and began walking back toward the stairs down to the dungeons, where Courtney assumed the Hufflepuff common room was. Bemused, Courtney watched her for a moment and then continued making her way back to the Ravenclaw common room.

Courtney sighed and relaxed into her seat on the Hogwarts express and pulled out her muggle colored pencils. She loved drawing on the train. She wasn’t strictly supposed to, but she always let her magic flow through her pencils just a little bit. Her sketches never moved, but they always seemed to have a little bit of extra brightness and life to them. She was putting the finishing touches on a drawing of her family’s owl, Nebula, when the door to her compartment slid open.

“Courtney! Hi!” Olivia Sui entered the compartment and sat down across from her. Since picking up the habit of studying with Olivia in the library Courtney had begun to notice the bubbly girl everywhere, but they hadn’t actually spoken since the day Olivia introduced herself. Yet here she was, leaning slightly forward in the seat, beaming at her.

“Hi Olivia.” Courtney said. She put down her brown colored pencil and picked up a cream colored one.

“Can I see what you’re drawing?” Olivia asked eagerly. Courtney put down her pencil and turned her sketchbook so Olivia could see the owl. Courtney didn’t usually show off her artwork, but this girl was so bubbly and bright that Courtney could help but oblige her.

Olivia’s eyes lit up. “Wow! Courtney, it’s amazing, it’s like it breathes! You must have a lot of magic.” She gushed. Courtney flushed both with pleasure at the compliment and with embarrassment at the knowledge that Olivia knew she used magic to make it. She chose to ignore the compliment; she never took compliments well.

“How did you know I used magic?” Courtney asked.

“Muggle sketches don’t breathe like that.” Olivia said simply. “My mother is an artist, so I can tell pretty well. Getting the magic balance right can be hard to do! Who taught you?”

Courtney dragged the toe of her shoe against the train floor. “I taught myself actually.” She said quietly. Her family didn’t approve of her art; they didn’t understand passion for anything except academia.

Olivia whistled. “If I didn’t trust you I wouldn’t believe that- my mom illustrates professionally, and I think I prefer your style to hers.”

Courtney raised an eyebrow. “You trust me?” she asked, bemused. Courtney didn’t really trust anyone.

Olivia curled up onto the seat and opened a book. “You haven’t given me a reason not to.” She smiled warmly at Courtney, and then turned her attention to her book.

Courtney picked up the cream pencil again, confused. Olivia was a strange girl- that wasn’t how trust worked.

Was it?

Summer passed quickly for Courtney, and before she knew it she was back in Charms class as a fourth year at Hogwarts. She found herself unlikely friends with Olivia; in fact, owls from her had been a ray of sunshine in a summer filled with pointed comments about the accomplishments about the achievements of her older siblings (the likes of which, despite her good marks, were things she could never even dream to achieve even if she wanted). Courtney found herself searching out Olivia as Professor Flitwick set them to practice their newest charm, the summoning spell.

“It’s just a shame.” Olivia said. She was sitting across from Courtney, her brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to make a cushion fly toward her from where it was sitting on Courtney’s lap. “If I were in your position, had parents like yours, I don’t even know if I’d stay motivated. Accio!” Courtney could hear the frustration creeping into her voice. The pillow still hadn’t moved from Courtney’s lap.

Olivia looked up at her desolately. “This is clearly impossible.” She said flatly.

Courtney gave Olivia a mischievous grin, raised her wand, and flicked it upward. The pillow she was supposed to be summoning rose straight up. Olivia watched in amazement as it swirled around her in circles, and then gasped as Courtney flicked her wand again and the pillow flew through the distance between them and settled gently on top of the pillow Olivia was supposed to be summoning.

“How did you do that?” Olivia asked incredulously. “You didn’t even say the spell.”

Courtney shrugged. “I had to learn summoning and vanishing spells nonverbally.” She said in a would-be nonchalant voice. Olivia raised her eyebrows. “My older brother used to hide my colored pencils.” Courtney explained

“So learning an advanced spell in a very advanced way was your solution? You really are magical.” Olivia shook her head, amused. She raised her wand. “Accio!” The pillow shuddered, but didn’t leave Courtney’s lap. Olivia sighed.

“Students! Bring your pillows back to the box. We will continue next lesson!” Flitwick squeaked from across the room. Courtney watched the spark fade from Olivia’s eyes. She wondered if her showboating had made Olivia’s frustration with the spell worse.

Courtney used the spell to send her and Olivia’s pillows back to the box. “Meet me in the seventh floor corridor before dinner.” She said quietly. “You are going to master this spell.”

“In the seventh floor corridor?” Olivia asked just as quietly.

“You’ll see.” Courtney said.

A few hours later Courtney stood leaning against the wall across from the tapestry showing some wizard trying to teach trolls to do ballet. She drummed what was left of her fingernails against the stone. She couldn’t believe what she was about to do; take Olivia into her special secret place. The secret room lying behind the wall she was currently leaning against was something she’d discovered toward the end of her first year at Hogwarts. She had been pacing on the seventh floor trying to figure out where to go to be alone for a while; the common and room and library were increasingly too loud for her and her bed was starting to feel too small. Around her fourth pass of the hall she glanced up to see an ornate door where there definitely hadn’t been before. She’d pushed it open to find a small room filled with comfy seats, a table with paper and pencils, and even a fireplace with a fire crackling merrily in it. Since that day Courtney went to that room every time the world started to feel too loud for her.

Courtney didn’t particularly like the idea of sharing her secret space with Olivia. Sure they were friends now, but Courtney was loathe to give up her form of definite solitude. Still, thinking of the look on Olivia’s face when charms had ended and she hadn’t successfully cast the spell… the way the spark faded from her eyes… she couldn’t teach Olivia the summoning charm in the library. So here it would have to be.

Olivia appeared on the other end of the hallway. Courtney pushed herself away from the wall and began pacing in front of it before she could change her mind.

“Courtney, what-?” Olivia began, stopping when Courtney held up a finger to silence her. The door materialized and Courtney couldn’t help sneaking a glance at Olivia’s reaction. She looked positively amazed. Courtney smiled. This reaction alone was worth bringing Olivia here.

Courtney stepped forward and pushed the door open. She looked back at Olivia, who was still staring at the door. “Come on Liv.” Courtney said lightly. Olivia followed her into the room; Courtney watched her drink it all in. For Olivia, the existence of the room was magic- but for Courtney, who was used to the room’s existence, Olivia’s reaction was magic.

Courtney picked up a pillow from one of the couches. She turned toward Olivia, and held it up. “You ready?” she asked, grinning.

Olivia smiled back and drew her wand.

“It’s just so stressful,” Olivia was saying. She was sitting sideways in an armchair in their secret room, lazily waving her wand to make stars float around the room. “thinking about what to do after we leave here. The career pamphlets in the common rooms made it more real, you know?”

Courtney leaned her head against the cushion of the couch, bored of organizing her notes for the upcoming OWLs. She had been half listening to Olivia and half ruminating on how strangely good it felt to be as comfortable in Olivia’s company. She had always thought of herself as a perpetual loner. In the span of a year she had gone from reluctant to let Olivia into her secret space to seeking her out whenever she wanted to go there. It had been her space, now it was theirs.

“I know what you mean,” Courtney said wistfully. 

“Do you though? All your drawings seem to suggest otherwise.” Olivia joked. For emphasis she made the stars she had conjured illuminate some of the sketches she had made Courtney post onto the walls- drawings of owls, of Olivia’s tabby cat, of the stain glass window in the room above the fire place that depicted a unicorn rearing onto its hind legs. Courtney thought the conjured stars twinkled particularly brightly around the sketch she’d done of Olivia studying for their fourth year potions exam, with her tie undone and her expression being one of intense focus, which was rare to see on Olivia.

Courtney went back to sorting her notes. “You know my parents don’t approve. I can hear my mother now- ‘Oh Courtney, drawing and art is a hobby, not a career. Why can’t you choose something more practical?’ she’ll say, and my dad will look at me and shake his head slowly. My problem is choosing something they’ll actually approve of to study.” She said. She glanced up to see Olivia frowning at her. “Even if I don’t actually use it.” She added, and smiled at Olivia.

Olivia waved her wand and whispered “Gemino.” The amount of stars in the room neatly doubled. “You should come stay with my mom and me for a while this summer. She could help you channel your magic into your drawings more. And maybe you both could help me figure out what I should do.”

Courtney laughed. “Are you just going to take all the classes you qualify for NEWT for next year until you figure it out? Haven’t you had your meeting about your future studies with Sprout already?”

Olivia huffed. Courtney couldn’t see her face, but imagined she rolled her eyes at the memory. “Sprout called me an indecisive git, which we both laughed at. But even she was stumped after the meeting. There are just too many fun options.” Olivia began absently twirling her wand; the stars circled the room like a comet.

Courtney stood up. “I’m missing a chunk of my History of Magic notes. Did you borrow them or did I leave them here last time?” she asked Olivia.

Olivia vanished her stars and sat up in the chair. “I borrowed them but I gave them back yesterday. I put them on the table next to your Charms notes.”

“I must not have grabbed them. And this room cleans itself when we leave so it could be in any of these cupboards.” Courtney said as she began to open drawers to check for her missing notes.

She was halfway through checking the drawers at the bottom of a bookshelf when she noticed a particularly large drawer rattling a bit. Foolishly, she opened it, and out soared a figure in a black cloak. Courtney shrieked and fell backward in fright as the figure floated toward her ominously. 

“Expecto Patronum!”

A silvery eagle darted toward the hooded figure and knocked it over. It flew around it in a circle and settled next to Courtney; she felt instantly comforted. She looked up- Olivia was standing over her with her wand raised.

“Boggart.” Muttered Olivia crossly. “Riddikulus!” The boggart’s black cloak turned bright pink with glittery red hearts emblazoned upon it. Courtney giggled at the sight, and it vanished with a quiet pop.

The silvery eagle faded. Courtney felt saddened at its disappearance until Olivia offered her a hand. She took it, and got to her feet.

“Thanks Liv. You can cast a Patronus?” Courtney asked warmly. Olivia looked slightly baffled. She raised her wand again. The eagle emerged from the tip of her wand, gracefully circled the room, and petered out.

Olivia looked up at Courtney. “I suppose so. It’s never taken a form before though. Every time I’ve tried before today it’s been a big ball of light charging in a straight line.” She said matter-of-factly.

Courtney smiled at her. “Even that is better than mine.” she said ruefully. She picked up her wand off the ground and attempted to cast the spell, but nothing more than a silver mist emerged from her wand tip. 

“How come your biggest fear is a Dementor?” Olivia asked.

“I’ve always been really frightened of them,” Courtney admitted. “They’re like oblivion in a humanoid form. Why do you think your Patronus is an eagle? My house mascot!” Courtney added the last bit as a joke, but to her surprise Olivia went pink upon hearing it.

“Well,” she said quietly. “I’ve always wished I was more like a Ravenclaw. Effortlessly smart, you know, like you are. I envy that. I think maybe my Patronus is that wish taking form.”

Courtney was a little taken aback. She always envied Olivia’s unwavering commitment; to mastering spells, to finishing the last bite of pudding, to being her friend. She was such a quintessential Hufflepuff that it was jarring to imagine her wanting to belong to another house.

She shook off the thought because Olivia was looking up at her sheepishly, and said “Well now’s your chance to help me with a spell.”

Olivia grinned.

After a few hours Courtney had made great progress, but had still not managed a fully formed Patronus.

“It has to be your happy memory- it’s not strong enough. Try something else.” Olivia said encouragingly.

Courtney closed her eyes. She had been thinking of the time her mother had found one of her drawings in her desk drawer and tacked in onto her wall instead, which had been the most encouraging thing she’d done with a drawing of Courtney. Now Olivia said she needed something stronger.

Her brain went through all the times she’d gotten top marks on exams. Sure that made her happy, but only because she wouldn’t upset her parents. She’d have to do better.

She went back to the drawing her mother had tacked on the wall. It had been the drawing of their family owl, the one she’d finished on the train home from third year. The one Olivia had praised.

Suddenly she was warmly thinking of Olivia, of partnering with her in class, of laughing with her in their secret space, of Olivia aiming a snowball at her during the winter of this term and hitting Professor McGonagall in the back of her head. Of Olivia producing a full Patronus for the first time to help her.

“Ah!” exclaimed Olivia. Courtney opened her eyes. A large silvery animal was running through the air, not gracefully like Olivia’s eagle, but with a joyful wildness. Olivia laughed as it circled around her, and then it came to a stop in front of Courtney before it vanished. It was undoubtedly a Golden Retriever, one of the most loyal breeds of dog there is.

Unwavering commitment.

Courtney locked eyes with Olivia, and returned her gleeful smile


End file.
